Sometimes It Hurts Instead
by SilverTongueabc
Summary: Song fic to Someone Like You by Adele, for Gale. I could waffle on and on about how amazing it is and how you should read and review it, but you lot know that already, right? Jokes. Please read and review. Cheers.


**I've been working on this one for a while now, but it's finished now and I'm pleased with it. Just so you know, I about as big as a Katniss/Peeta shipper as there could be, but I'm a Gale fan too. I feel sorry for him. But, I LOVE PEETA SO MUCH MORE! Lol. :)**

**Enjoy, R and R! Thank you.**

**Gale**

_I heard that you're settled down  
That you found a guy and you're married now  
I heard that your dreams came true  
Guess he gave you things I didn't give to you_

I hadn't gone to the wedding. I couldn't. I couldn't see her like that, with someone else. Not me. Peeta. Maybe he was better then I was, better to her then I was ever, or could ever be. Maybe.

_Old friend, why are you so shy?  
Ain't like you to hold back or hide from the light_

What if she didn't want to see me? I haven't see her in so long, much too long. Long enough for her to forget me.

Maybe.

_I hate to turn up out of the blue uninvited  
But I couldn't stay away, I couldn't fight it  
I had hoped you'd see my face and that you'd be reminded  
That for me it isn't over_

I shouldn't have come. I should just go now, turn and just run. Run, and never stop. But I had to see her, at least once more. I couldn't let her slip away, not like that, but maybe she already had.

Maybe.

_Never mind, I'll find someone like you  
I wish nothing but the best for you too  
Don't forget me, I beg  
I remember you said,  
"Sometimes it lasts in love but sometimes it hurts instead,  
Sometimes it lasts in love but sometimes it hurts instead,"  
Yeah_

I see him first. The door is open. I just stand and look at him. He hasn't seen me, he is standing with his back to me. He is talking to a small boy, chubby, blond. With grey eyes. He sees me, and just looks at me, with those eyes, her eyes.

"Hello." That is all I can say. I almost whisper it.

Peeta turns. And then his eyes meet mine.

"Hello." Just one word, but I think it sums it all up.

"Long time." I say. Why did I come?

"Yeah, very long."

I need to ask it. I have to.

"Is Katniss well?"

His eyes shift slightly to the door, then back to me. "Yes. Very well. Um, you?"

"Good, thank you. Good." What now? Why am I here?

"What, um, what are you doing round here anyway?" He fiddles with his hands, maybe counting down to when I leave. The boy watches us.

"I just," My voice cracks and I cough and carry on. "I just wanted to see you both." It doesn't answer his question, but I don't think I can answer it myself.

"Peeta!"

I freeze. Peeta stands and looks out the door behind me.

Katniss.

_You know how the time flies  
Only yesterday was the time of our lives  
We were born and raised  
In a summer haze  
Bound by the surprise of our glory days_

I hear her walking through the front garden, up the steps towards the door, then;

"Peeta, when were you-"

Then she sees me. And I see her. Peeta's eyes flit between us, never resting.

She's different, lined under her eyes, hair a little longer, touched with grey at the temples. I can't stop looking at her, and her eyes never leave me.

"Gale." She whispers.

_I hate to turn up out of the blue uninvited  
But I couldn't stay away, I couldn't fight it  
I had hoped you'd see my face and that you'd be reminded  
That for me it isn't over_

We sit, silently, drinking weak tea and looking anywhere but each other. The boy doesn't stay for long, but gets bored and runs off up the stairs.

Peeta again tries making conversation.

"Do you want to stay for dinner?"

"No, no I think I should be going."

_Never mind, I'll find someone like you  
I wish nothing but the best for you too  
Don't forget me, I beg  
I remember you said,  
"Sometimes it lasts in love but sometimes it hurts instead."_

I stand, and they stand too, then we all stand still.

"Thank you." I say.

"Um, you're very welcome." Peeta says.

Katniss says nothing.

I walk to the door. They both follow. I'm in the doorway.

I turn. "Well, I'll-"

"Katniss will walk you down to the gate, won't you?" Peeta's eyes lock with hers. She just shoots him a look and walks out the door.

"Bye." Peeta says.

"Yeah. Bye." I reply and follow Katniss out the door.  
_  
Nothing compares  
No worries or cares  
Regrets and mistakes  
Our memories make  
Who would have known how bittersweet this would taste?_

We walk in silence, her a few feet in front of me.

It seems to take forever to reach the gate. When we get there, she just opens it and looks at the ground. I step through.

"Goodbye, Katniss."

"Goodbye, Gale." She whispers.

I walk away. I haven't got far.

"Gale!"

I turn and she's running toward me. I don't know why, but I open my arms and she falls into them, and then she's crying. Really crying, and I'm saying over and over again, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Katniss. I'm so sorry."

I don't know how long we stand there, with her in my arms, smelling like she used to, shaking and sobbing, and me rocking her back and forth and saying sorry again and again.

Then she steps back, and looks at me. I look at her.

"I'm sorry about Prim. I'm sorry about everything."

"I'm sorry too." She says.

I touch her face, just once. "Goodbye, Cantnip."

She smiles sadly.

"Goodbye, Gale."  
_  
Never mind, I'll find someone like you  
I wish nothing but the best for you  
Don't forget me, I beg  
I remember you said,  
"Sometimes it lasts in love but sometimes it hurts instead."_

**Katniss**

I watch him walk away. Then I go back home.

It's later that evening. I've just put Madge and Finnick to bed.

Peeta is baking. He does that. When he's stressed, when he's bored, when he wants to rest, when I'm here. It makes him calm, he says. It makes me feel calm too.

"Hey."

He turns. He's got flour in his hair, on his arms, and on his shirt. He does it on purpose I swear.

"What are you baking?" I ask, walking over, sticking my finger in the bowl and licking it. He hates it when I do that. Cookies.

He's still watching me. Finally he says "I hate it when you do that."

"I know." I reply.

Then I go and lie down on the sofa, shutting my eyes. I hear him shuffling around in the kitchen.

"Peeta?"

"Yes, Katniss?"

"Why did you make me walk him to the gate?"

I hear him stop shuffling then I feel the sofa sink a tad at the end and I know he's sitting by my feet.

"Because you needed to talk to him, without me there."

I open my eyes at look up at him, and he smiles at me, sadly. "I'm sorry." He whispers.

"For what?" I ask, frowning.

"For making you do that. I should have just left you."

I sit up and cross my legs. "Don't be." I press my forehead to his. "It was good to do that."

He smiles and kisses me lightly then pulls me into a hug, and for the second time today, I cry.

_Never mind, I'll find someone like you  
I wish nothing but the best for you  
Don't forget me, I beg  
I remember you said,  
"Sometimes it lasts in love but sometimes it hurts instead."_

**Thank you for reading! :) Review please!**

**And of course thank you to my amazing wonderful incredible talented big sister InkWeaverabc who went through this and picked up all the errors and made the fic as wonderful as it is. It's all down to her! (And yes, this is Inkie typing. :D You are welcome, sis)**


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